Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْد اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا الْحَكَمُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي حُسَيْنٍ عَنْ شَهْرِ بْنِ حَوْشَبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ غَنْمٍ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ كُنْتُ أَخْدُمُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ آتِي الْمَسْجِدَ إِذَا أَنَا فَرَغْتُ مِنْ عَمَلِي فَأَضْطَجِعُ فِيهِ فَأَتَانِي النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمًا وَأَنَا مُضْطَجِعٌ فَغَمَزَنِي بِرِجْلِهِ فَاسْتَوَيْتُ جَالِسًا فَقَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ كَيْفَ تَصْنَعُ إِذَا أُخْرِجْتَ مِنْهَا فَقُلْتُ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى مَسْجِدِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَإِلَى بَيْتِي قَالَ فَكَيْفَ تَصْنَعُ إِذَا أُخْرِجْتَ فَقُلْتُ إِذَنْ آخُذَ بِسَيْفِي فَأَضْرِبَ بِهِ مَنْ يُخْرِجُنِي فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدَهُ عَلَى مَنْكِبِي فَقَالَ غَفْرًا يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ ثَلَاثًا بَلْ تَنْقَادُ مَعَهُمْ حَيْثُ قَادُوكَ وَتَنْسَاقُ مَعَهُمْ حَيْثُ سَاقُوكَ وَلَوْ عَبْدًا أَسْوَدَ قَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ فَلَمَّا نُفِيتُ إِلَى الرَّبَذَةِ أُقِيمَتْ الصَّلَاةُ فَتَقَدَّمَ رَجُلٌ أَسْوَدُ كَانَ فِيهَا عَلَى نَعَمْ الصَّدَقَةِ فَلَمَّا رَآنِي أَخَذَ لِيَرْجِعَ وَلِيُقَدِّمَنِي فَقُلْتُ كَمَا أَنْتَ بَلْ أَنْقَادُ لِأَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
English Translation
Abdullah narrated to us: my father narrated to me: al-Hakam ibn Nafi' Abu al-Yaman narrated to us: Isma'il ibn Ayyash informed us, from Abdullah ibn Abi Husayn, from Shahr ibn Hawshab, from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Ghanm, from Abu Dharr, who said: I used to serve the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then go to the mosque once I had finished my task and lie down in it. One day the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came to me while I was lying down, and nudged me with his foot, so I sat up straight. He said to me: "O Abu Dharr, what will you do if you are expelled from it (Medina)?" I said: "I will return to the mosque of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and to my house." He said: "What will you do if you are expelled [again]?" I said: "Then I will take up my sword and strike with it whoever expels me." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, put his hand on my shoulder and said: "May you be forgiven, O Abu Dharr" -- three times -- "rather, you should go along with them wherever they lead you, and follow along with them wherever they drive you, even if it be a black slave [who commands you]." Abu Dharr said: When I was banished to ar-Rabadhah, the prayer was called, and a black man who was in charge of the zakah livestock there stepped forward [to lead]. When he saw me, he moved to step back and have me lead instead, but I said: "Stay as you are; rather I shall submit to the command of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him."